The season is officially over for the Strathmore Wheatland Kings after a tough 5-6 overtime loss this past Saturday (Feb 17). 

The team faced off against the Red Deer Vipers in their final game. 

General Manager of the Wheatland Kings, Lee Smith, says it was a hard loss. 

“It was a tough last game of the season. We outplayed them but ended up losing in over time.” 

Looking ahead to next season, Smith confirmed he is planning on coming back as General Manager again and says there will be some things that the team needs to work on.

“We don't need a whole bunch of new players; we have great ones right now. It's just a matter of keeping everyone healthy,” Smith said. 

The Kings struggled with multiple player injuries and suspensions in the past few months, which impacted their season. 

Smith reflected on some of the highlights of the season. 

“We had as many wins as we’ve ever had as a team. We finished 7th in the league overall, which says something. We are right in the middle of the league.” 

Smith says that new team member Tegan Skehar was a great addition to the team, and some of the senior team members played their hundredth game this season. 

While discussing plans for the team next season, Smith says that there are big goals set for the Kings. 

“The expectations for the team next year are going to be set quite high. We will have lots of 20-year-olds, which is a big thing in this league. The league is built on 20-year-olds, and the best teams are usually made up of them, so it will be exciting for us.” 

Smith states that this season wouldn't have been possible without the support of the community. 

“I would like to send out a thank you to all our fans and sponsors. All the support we got this year in town has been great. We probably have one of the best fan bases and sponsors out of any team in the league, and as a group and organization, we would really like to thank all of you,” Smith said. 

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